Five Times She Watched His Final Goodbye
by Elizabeth234
Summary: Five times Morgan watches her Dad's final goodbye. (Post Avengers Endgame)
1. Denial

Hi Friends! Here is a new story that I've been working on. For those of you reading my other story The Supplejack I am almost done with the next chapter. I know it's been so long but thank you for sticking with it. This past semester has been tough and I'm just now able to work on them again. Thank you for the patience and support.

Hope you enjoy this one!

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They found the shoes, dusty and jammed into the back of her closet. They were hidden behind some books and candy wrappers she stashed away after Halloween one year. It was a time Morgan barely remembered. A time defined by black clothes and long hours standing with her parents. As with all things in life, it wasn't permanent. Her black dresses slowly grew shorter on her small limbs until they put them away and her family moved out of the city. There wasn't a reason to wear the old shoes much anymore and even though the patent straps dug into the tops of her feet, Morgan insisted that her mom didn't need to buy a new pair for her. Sitting on the couch, her arms wrapped around her mom; she wished not that she had said yes to the offer, but that there was no need for them at all.

Morgan stared at the people scattered around the room. Some of them looked familiar to her, her Uncle Rhodey was here, but others she'd never seen before. Everyone else was in black as well and their smiles were noticeably absent. She shifted herself on the cushions again trying to find a comfortable position, but nothing seemed to help. She shifted again, kicking her legs out in front of her before tucking one underneath the other. Her movement was stopped by a hand gently laid on her knee. Morgan wrapped her hands around the arm and brought it against her face, breathing in the scent familiar since birth. The vanilla scent steadied her pounding heart.

It was something Morgan always had done. Whenever she was feeling anxious or sad, she would find her parents, or something that was theirs, and calm herself. Her small fists tightened around her mom's hand when she thought about the other day.

Morgan knew she was going to get in trouble when she hid in her dad's office and locked the babysitter outside, but at the time she didn't care. His office was safe. There was a wobble in her legs as she made her way to the miniature desk set up for her to work side by side with her dad. It was right next to a larger one fit for her dad and she could remember many afternoons spent the two of them reading or working. Most times they ended all switched around, with her legs dangling off of the larger chair and his cramped up to his chest in the smaller one. But he never complained and instead boasted about his excellent craftsmanship in how her chair could carry his weight. It always sent her giggling and breathless when he would do that. Nothing bad could ever happen in there.

The desk walls surrounded her on either side as she crawled underneath it. Her fear stewed with the dust bunnies on the ground and she waited. Every possible thought surfaced through her head and the yearning for her parents grew with every second.

When the keypad buzzed she stayed there hidden and curled into herself. Trepidation filled her and congealed in her stomach. What would her punishment be for locking the babysitter out? Morgan could tell it was her mom at the door by the way her shoes swept against the ground. Today the footsteps were not even. Today they rushed forward and hit the side of the desk. Morgan stayed under the desk watching the papers fly from the top of the desk to the floor and finally her mom came into view. She fell onto her knees and Morgan scooted forward into her waiting arms. They clung to each other and Morgan felt her heart racing even though she wasn't sure why. Her mom's grip was dug into her skin but Morgan didn't dare move away. Her head rested on the crook of her mom's elbow and as she gazed upward she could see the bruises and dirt covering her face. Her eyes were closed and she could feel her mom's trembling. Morgan buried her head into her chest and concentrated on keeping her close.

They sat there until after Morgan couldn't feel her knees anymore. It wasn't until the voice of her babysitter echoed through the room telling them he was leaving that her mom moved again. They stood up, Morgan still in her mom's arms, and went upstairs. She hid her face in her mom's neck and held back to comments about being too big to be carried. The hand rubbing her back were enough at the moment. They laid down, side by side, in her small bed. Her mom's legs were pulled upward and her mom's eyes shut heavily. Morgan reached up to brush her hand lightly across a scratch running down the side of her face and her eyes blinked open.

"What happened, Mommy?" Now that her eyes were open Morgan noticed the red veiling around her eyes. It brought out the deep blue tones of them and reminded Morgan of the first time she saw the ocean. It had been sunny all on their drive there. The music had been blasting and her dad had been singing loudly off key while Morgan harmonized until her mom clapped her hands over her ears. She yelled while laughing that they had to stop before her ears fell off. This only prompted them to sing louder. It only started raining once they got to the beach and then with a loud thunderclap, the waves picked up and they had to take shelter in the car. Their family watched quietly as the waves turned dark and crashed into the wet sand, cutting their day short.

"Oh, baby," Her mom mumbled. There was a slight tremble to her lips and not wanting to see her mom hurting, Morgan wrapped her arms as far as they would go around her mom's prone body. Morgan's eyes widened when her mom didn't reciprocate the gesture but instead she stayed laying there, only her shoulders shaking. Wet splotches soaked into her pajamas.

There were only a handful of times she could remember her mom crying and she didn't know what to do now. The most recent was when they watched Finding Nemo together. Her mom's shallow breaths filled the room. Morgan focused on keeping hers inaudible, though she was sure her heart, which to her ears sounded like beating drums, would give her away. Her mom's eyes opened once again and searched Morgan's face. Silence filled the room and Morgan knew. She knew that something happened. Something to make her mommy upset and she knew that she didn't want to know what happened. That whatever had happened would change their lives and Morgan didn't want that. She clung to her mom tighter than she ever had before and tried to breath in the vanilla scent of her only to find it was distorted. Her mom smelled like ashes.

"Sweetheart, you know the stories Mommy and Daddy told you about Daddy's old job? How he would try to save the world?" Morgan hesitantly nodded she continued after a pause. "How we told you there were a lot of people missing. A lot of people their families were missing? Well, Daddy found them. He found them, Monkey, and united all the sad families."

She laid there playing with the edge of her blanket and trying to understand what her mom was saying. It sounded like good news.

"If Daddy saved them why are you so sad Mom?"

Her mom smiled for a moment before it fell away. Morgan felt her hair being tucked behind her ear. It always aggravated her mom how it never stayed in place. No matter how often she brushed it, the strands would fall in her face or up into the air. She secretly loved it because it reminded her of her dad. His hair would also stick up every way when he woke up in the morning. She looked up waiting for an answer.

"In order to save all those people Dad-Tony-had to go away, Monkey."

"What…what do you mean? Daddy said he would be back." This time her mom's hand came up to caress her face but Morgan turned her face away. Heat was filling her cheeks as she laid there.

"He had to leave so that everyone else could be saved"

"No! He said he would be back. He never lies." Morgan felt tears leaking from her eyes but paid no mind to them. She turned back around and got onto her knees, staring at her mom from above. "Stop lying! It's not funny. I want my Dad! He said he would be back. He promised…." She fell back and curled on top of the mattress. The soft material offered no comfort. "He said that we would try riding Gerald once he got big enough."

"I know he did. He didn't mean to lie. This was important to him, but know he loved you so much."

Morgan curled deeper into the pillow and stared at the wall unseeing. Her body felt heavy and weighed into the mattress. Her mom asked if she wanted her to leave and with no answer started to get up, but Morgan reached out and clung to her. She thought she heard a sigh of relief coming from her mom. Morgan moved so she was laid on her. The tears hadn't stopped coming but Morgan's eyes were drooping down.

She fisted her hand into her mom's shirt and whispered the phrase throughout the night. The first time she woke up from a nightmare filled with smoke and darkness, she spoke it aloud, willing it into existence. Her mom stiffened at the words and ran her hands through her hair.

Pepper's heart constricted at the words every time after that. Her daughter's whispers because a prayer, a plea to someone Pepper hoped was listening.

"Daddy always comes back. You'll see Mommy."

* * *

The yellow glow filled the room and her dad's face appeared.

She leaned backward and into her mom. Her dad was always leaving messages around the house. Sometimes they would lead to treasure he hid in the backyard or they might be simple reminders of what was for dinner. Sometimes they were just to tell her he loved her.

Morgan's heels kicked against the couch as she stared at his face. It was open and unworried as he stared out at the crowd of people in their living room. It was the face who had read her bedtime stories when she woke up from a nightmare or get her popsicles when she wanted something sweet. Her heartbeat picked up again.

He smiled and Morgan glanced up at her mom, wanting to see her expression. He looked so normal that it stung her chest. Her mom didn't look down. She didn't smile or change her hard expression. Morgan swallowed and looked back at her dad.

"…happy ending, right? But it doesn't always roll that way." She played with the hem of her dress and her mom pulled her closer, rubbing a hand up and down her arm. He sounded so normal.

His face became grave and lacked the usual exuberance it normally was lighted with. There was still a small part of her that thought her mom was lying. That all these people were in on the surprise and her dad would pop out of the back room, tricking them all.

"And for better or worse, that's the reality Morgan's going to find a way to grow up in."

Her lip trembled and she grabbed her mom's arm again, willing the tears welling to go away. He would be there. He would come back.

"Part of the journey is the end."

He was wrong. Her mom was wrong. All of these people were wrong. That was the only explanation to this madness. All she wanted to do was stand up and scream, but something besides her mom held her down. Suddenly, she didn't want to look at her dad anymore. She couldn't stare at his normal face, hear his normal voice, and know that it wasn't a trick. That her mom hadn't been lying.

Morgan looked up and didn't see her dad. A stranger took his place, someone distant and obscure. She clung to her mom not understanding. The room was silent besides his voice and her racing heart. He stood up before lying again.

"Everything is going to work out exactly the way it's supposed to."

His lie tore through her heart. Everything was supposed to work out. It was her dad. The man who built her a desk and then let her use his own. He was the one that read to her after nightmares and was going to teach her how to ride Gerald. He was Iron Man. She knew he could do anything.

Her breath stopped when he looked at her. His eyes stared directly into her and she knew he would be okay in the end. His eyes conveyed the understanding between them. He would always be there, no matter what.

"I love you 3000."

Her arms tightened around her mom and although she prayed her dad would be okay she couldn't stop the tears from running down her face.

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Thank you again in advanced. Let me know what you think!


	2. Anger

Hi All! Here is chapter two. Hope you enjoy.

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Morgan sat staring out the car window. The remnants of the rain held thick in the air outside and the grass was laden with droplets sliding down the stems at each blow of the wind. The droplets congregated together and created pockets of puddles in the lawn. She rolled down the window and smelled the grey and worms floating in the air. All in all, it encapsulated her mood perfectly.

"Are you ready, Morguna?" The voice broke her out of her thoughts and she looked over to see her mom's hand on the door handle. With a tight nod they exited the car and loaded their arms with boxes. Morgan grabbed one full of clothes. She knew her stuffed mini Gerald was hidden at the bottom. The building rose tall before them and they, avoiding the puddles, watched as other people moved their own stuff in.

A tight knot that formed weeks ago in Morgan's stomach twisted further. She watched as the people's laughs echoed up the stairs and boxes of stuff were stacked in every corner of the lobby. Hordes of people stopped unloading and began forming groups inside the ring of boxes. They were already mingling and gossiping about each of the floors they lived on. Her mom nudged her shoulder and motioned to the people but Morgan shook her head.

After stopping for a breather in between stairways they made it the third floor and found her room. The beds were striped and besides a few boxes by one of the beds, the room was empty. She turned to the other bed and plopped her clothes down before sitting down on the bed. Her mom sat beside her.

"Are you sure you want to stay? You could go to a school closer to home or we could get a private tutor?" Her mom said winding her arms around Morgan. Morgan sighed and leaned against her shoulder.

"Mom, I want to come here. I'm just nervous."

"Right, right. I know that. I'm just going miss you."

Morgan turned into her mom's arms and breathed in the scent of vanilla.

"I'll miss you too, Mom. Always."

They were sweating and sore by the time they were done moving all her stuff into the room. The two of them moved slow, taking breaks to explore and joke to make light of the situation. It was the first time she would be away from her mom. It would be the time for many firsts but she wasn't looking forward to their goodbye. It would be nothing but bittersweet.

* * *

Pepper stared at her child, her little girl who was not so little anymore, and was reminded of who should have been there to help them move. Morgan's eyes sparkled with a drive for knowledge and excitement as she showed her around the school. It was a spark that was missing until recently and Pepper was glad she was going to school. That she would be able to experience some normality in her youth.

Unbeknownst to her daughter she was afraid. Afraid that Morgan would hate it. Afraid she would be hurt and most of all Pepper was afraid of being alone. Logically, she knew she wouldn't be alone, but the quiet house at night and milk going bad because she was the only one drinking it made her stomach clench.

Her daughter moved about the room, putting clothes away and organizing her desk, and Pepper marveled at how much she'd grown over the years. Her dark hair was recently cut short and the curls sprang up, earning to escape her head. Pepper forced a smile onto her face when Morgan looked over. This could be good for her. This was good for her.

* * *

Morgan turned around to find her mom staring at her and made herself smile back. She turned back around to fluff the clothes in the drawer so she wouldn't have to face her again just yet. She ignored the trembling in her hands and pushed the one drawer shut louder than was needed moving onto the next one.

How could she think of leaving her mom? For almost her whole life they had been together. Her mom had always been there for her. In second grade, when she shaved part of her head all jagged, her mom did the same to her own hair. In sixth grade, she decided to perform in the talent show. It was a rendition of I Want to Hold Your Hand and she loved the song with all her heart. Unfortunately, the other students didn't like it as much and let her know how ridiculous they all thought it was. Her mom was there, helping her practice and cheering her on the big day. Through first crushes and failed try-outs her mom was right alongside her to bolster her.

And now she was leaving. Going far enough away to school that Morgan couldn't just pop home for the weekends. The knot twisted again. This was going to be fine. A lot of people went to university and all of them were okay. She wasn't abandoning her mom. It was normal to want to go to school and she should not feel guilty.

Morgan folded the same shirt over again before looking down and seeing it was inside out. She stuffed it back into the drawer without looking and walked away. It would be fine.

* * *

The mattress dipped under her weight as she leaned her elbows on the headboard. Her roommate asked if she wanted to go down to the common room to meet other freshmen but she declined. The thought of being around people made her mouth dry. Her hands curled into fists and Morgan could feel her nails digging into the flesh of her palm. She should be out there meeting people. She wanted to meet the people in her building and make friends but something stopped her.

Her mom left bestowing a bushel of hugs and kisses to last her the night. Between them they shed enough tears to shower an alpaca, but it wasn't enough. Morgan missed the smell of vanilla. Her arms felt oddly bereft of her mom's. It was a Tuesday and Morgan knew if she were back home the two of them would be curled up on the couch binge watching Brooklyn-99 or their favorite movies.

Instead, she was staring at mostly filled boxes containing the things she would gladly give away to be back in her home. Morgan let the breath she was holding escape and un-wrung her fingers, moving them back and forth to get the blood moving.

Without forethought she jumped off her bed and paced back and forth. Morgan stopped, staring out the thick glass of the window. There were some crowds walking past. A group of people speaking Japanese walked by. Their words traveled up the walls and into Morgan's room falling into her ears. She couldn't understand what they were saying but a ghost of a smile crossed her face when they broke out laughing. The smile faded as the people walked behind a corner, leaving an empty courtyard.

Morgan swiped the carpet with her foot and ended up moving her backpack. She looked down and brought it over to where she was sitting before. The zipper gave way under the direction of her hands and she pulled out the red mask. She held the cheeks in her trembling hands and stared into the dark eye sockets. She wasn't sure why she snuck into his office to take it, only that some part of her couldn't leave the house without a piece of him. Morgan needed him to be there in some small way today and this was the best she could do.

Her eyes closed against the barrage of memories that threatened to break loose from their holdings. One swept out from under her concentration and the laughter and quiet footsteps of her memory engulfed her.

She saw her young reflection in the silver metal of the refrigerator. Morgan's hand reached up to open the door. Her fingertips just grasping onto the handle when a larger hand rested on top. The other in the large pair played with the ends of her hair as it had when they tip-toed through the kitchen.

Her mom's voice floated down from the office on a work call and the dinner already made was waiting on the stovetop. Morgan had been sitting at her small desk next to her dad's but was bored. She practically finished all her homework and decided that what her dad was doing was more interesting. Settling into his lap she hugged his chest and buried her head into the crook of his arm. His arms came around her tight and secure like they always did. He sat there working and listening to a story she told him about Ms. Casey at pre-school.

It wasn't until her stomach growled for attention that they got up, ready to hunt for a pre-dinner snack. They crept through the house, rolling on the carpet and hiding behind corners until they came upon the kitchen. The freezer opened sending a puff of cold air into their faces and her dad grabbed some popsicles – always cherry and strawberry for each – out from the top self. He passed the stick into her waiting hands and they went outside to sit on the porch. Alongside each other they sat looking into the forest.

Morgan loved their home in the woods. Sometimes she missed having neighbors, but she loved the quiet best. She looked over to her dad and watched as the tension in his shoulder's disappeared. A small smile crossed his lips when he asked her to stick out her tongue. She laughed when he made funny faces with his stained tongue sticking out.

The door opened and the two turned around to face her mom, popsicle sticks safely behind their backs. They smiled innocently, Morgan forgetting the evidence was stained into their skin. Pepper tried to maintain a straight face but the looks on her husband and daughter's faces were so similar and cute.

"You guys better be ready to eat all of the dinner." She huffed good-naturedly, winking at Tony.

They both clambered up. Morgan fell over her feet and her dad picked her up. He threw her over his shoulder, all while assuring Pepper that there wouldn't be any leftovers. She remembered kicking and laughing when her dad carried all through the house chasing her mom until they all collapsed on her parent's bed.

That was a month before he was gone.

Morgan tossed the helmet onto the bed. She didn't want to think about that time. The knot constricted in her chest a little tighter.

Her eyes closed but snapped open at the sound of a click. The wall glowed and her eyes traced the light back to the helmet laid innocently against her pillow. The once dark eyes glowed bright as she knew they once had in life. Her hands trembled as she picked it up to try and turn it off; to stop what was coming. It was something she'd only watched once and refused to ever see again. The helmet slipped out of her shaking hands and pricks assaulted her eyes. It rolled against the hardwood and stopped with a light thud against the dresser. The projector proceeded and her dad's face appeared on the wall.

The image was crooked and Morgan would have to turn her head at a 90-degree angle to see it clearly. She didn't. Her eyes slammed closed and Morgan tried to concentrate on the smooth fibers of her new sheets. Her mind screamed at her to turn it off. To run away, anywhere, but her body was frozen on the bed.

Then the voice she hadn't heard in twelve years ghosted through the room.

"Everybody wants a happy ending, right?" Her eyes pinched closed tighter, making swirls of black dance across the inside of her eyelids. She didn't want to hear this. She didn't want to see this ghostly apparition.

His words filled the room heedless of Morgan's pleas. She rubbed her hands on the bed sheet before covering her ears with them but it didn't stop the soothing tone of his voice creeping through her fingers. A wave of despair threated to crash into her, to break her away from reality but she wouldn't let it. Morgan had spent enough time haunted by the ghosts of her past and she wouldn't let it consume her here in this new place. She stood up quickly, pushing the mattress against the wall with a thud. Her hands were in fists at her side and her legs shook, weakening in strength until she leaned against the desk. Her hands grasped the edges and she felt the grains in the wood against her fingertips. She looked behind her and saw the helmet against the door.

"A normal vision of the planet has been restored"

Morgan turned around and let her back hit the cold wall as she watched not the projection but the glowing eyes. Her own darted away and she saw the people walking by in the hallway. They were chatting amongst themselves unaware of what was happening. Unaware of how much was lost.

An itching feeling started in her feet and climbed up, infecting the rest of her limbs. Morgan carded her fingers through her hair until the strands were taught against her scalp.

All of the people walking, all of them in the building, and the world didn't know. They couldn't realize that something greater than themselves was gone. Her world was lost that day and nobody knew. It wasn't fair that they were here and he wasn't.

She stumbled and fell onto her knees. Tears caressed her cheeks as they made their way to the floor. Her dad should have been there to help. He could've carried the boxes easily up the three flights of stairs. He knew how to assemble her loft bed, but instead her mom and her labored over it for hours. It wasn't fair. Her dad missed so much of her life that sometimes it felt like he had never been there in the first place.

"I love you 3000."

A haze filtered through her eyes but through it she saw his brown eyes, the small quick of his lips, and a smile that knotted the rope so she felt it would never come undone.

He left her all alone.

"I hate you." She whispered to the room. The projection stopped and the light dimmed, leaving only the shadows of furniture covering Morgan in the darkness. The hallway was quiet and Morgan fell to the side. Her hip dug into the wood but she didn't move from that spot.

Morgan laid in the silence and wished that it was gone. She wished that his voice would fill the room once more.

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Let me know what you think, please!


	3. Bargaining

Hi friends. Hope your holidays went well!

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Snow fell off of her boots and onto the welcome mat below her. The cold twisted through the air blowing tendrils of snow through her hair. She stood on the front porch of the house, her hand rested on the handle posed to turn it. The wood looked the same as it stretched out in her memory. There was a small section she could see from her station at the door that was replaced with a slightly different type of wood. It was something lighter than the rest but besides that spot everything looked the same. The drive was the same as always, too. She knew the forest was vastly different from the forest of her childhood but to her it looked the same as it always was all covered in a blanket of snow.

Now standing in front of the door, she saw no difference in the grains of the wood and handle besides the one spot. There was something in the out of place wood that made her stomach knot. Her eyes kept returning to the place where the wood changed colors. It boded ill in the sea of sameness from everything else. Morgan wasn't sure why but she shivered at the sight of it.

"Are you going to stand in this freezing weather all night?" She turned to see Alex walking up the steps with the rest of their bags in hand. There was a red tinge to his cheeks and a small flare of jealously hit her when she saw his long lashes catching the snowflakes falling around them. Morgan forced a smile on her face.

"I was just waiting." She said and his raised eyebrows. "Well, I was. You know how my mom gets. Once you're here it's hard to take a moment for yourself."

He laughed and reached around her to ring the bell. Immediately they heard a clattering of people coming toward them.

It was supposed to be the happiest time of year. At least that's what people said, but from Morgan's experience it was also the hardest time of year. All the people you saw only once a year were there. Memories were there.

Morgan loved Christmas growing up. She loved all the lights, and cookies, and Santa. Everything was magical at this time of year. It wasn't just snow covering the ground, but something more. Something that transformed the snow into snowmen and forts to play in. The trees were lush, green, and the few birds that dared to wander near the feeders looked all the more exotic against the white backdrop.

Coming home at almost thirty she felt a wisp of the excitement she had when she was a kid. Its tendrils curled loose in her stomach, soothing a part of the anxiousness that followed her when preparing for the visit. That anxious knot tainted the child-like excitement. Today the snow was a nuisance to drive through, slowing traffic and causing accidents, and the bird feeders in the back were all empty.

Morgan glanced up when the door swung open. Happy's face greeted her and a small smile graced his face when he spotted them.

"Hi, Kid." He said and opened the door further so she could enter her home. She entered the front hallway and before taking off her coat, leaned in to give the man a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Merry Christmas, Happy."

He mumbled something particularly Grinch-like under his breath and she patted him on the shoulder before wandering further down the hall. She could hear Alex and Happy talking to one another and let them get on by themselves.

The first time she brought Alex home to meet the family was stressful to say the least. Her whole family sat him down at the end of the table and launched into a full-blown interrogation. It seemed to go on forever and Morgan was past embarrassed and far into anger by the time they deemed him properly vetted.

She tried to prepare Alex as best she could but, as Happy was one of the ones who took it the hardest, he took his role as bodyguard seriously still. He didn't like the fact that she was dating, even though it was their sixth year together and she was an adult. They met when she was starting grad school and were dating ever since then much to Happy's consternation. Being the easy-going person he was Alex took the whole thing in stride and laughed about it. He was always a good sport and understood that her family was not the most traditional.

The farther away she moved from the two men in the hallway the closer she got to the sounds and smells in the kitchen. She saw her mom first. Pepper Potts was beautiful and tonight she glowed in a black dress holding a wine glass and laughing at something said. Morgan smiled to herself at the way her mom's warmth infected the room and people in it.

The kitchen was full of food and people mingling about. She knew almost everyone but she didn't want to interrupt and scooted along the wall to set down the dishes Alex's made.

"Hi, Little Miss." Rhodey was the first to notice her and she immediately went to give him a hug.

"Merry Christmas, Honey bear. How are you doing?" A brief grimace washed along his face at the old nickname but he smiled when they met eyes.

"Oh, you know me. Always doing something."

"Is that code for if you tell me you'll have to kill me?"

"It's code for if I tell you, you'll end up falling asleep." Morgan laughed and squeezed his arm. She noticed his walking was not as confident and felt her stomach coil in worry.

"As long as you're staying out of trouble." He had the audacity to look offended and a laugh bubbled up from the back of her throat.

"Morguna, is that you?" Morgan turned around to see her mom coming toward her. Pepper's smile beamed out at Morgan from behind the counter. They squealed and rushed around, pushing past the people to hug each other properly.

"Hi, Mommy. Merry Christmas."

"I'm so glad you could make it, Sweetie. I know it was busy meeting with Alex's family first but I'm so glad I could have you for this week." Her mom clasped her arms around Morgan's shoulders and observed the dark circle's she knew were under her eyes. "You need to rest more." She said before turning back to the stove. "I swear you get more like your father every day. Always working too much."

Morgan ignored her mom knowing there was nothing she could say to change her mind. She knew the rest of the week would be spent with her mom sending her to bed early and trying to feed her the most classic comfort foods like she was six again. She sighed and started helping her take pots to the table.

"And if it isn't Alexander Stansberry. It's good to see you. Oh, and you brought my favorite wine. How thoughtful." Morgan looked up just in time to see her mom and Alex hug.

Morgan was nervous the first time the two met, but it turned out they got along great. Even better than her and Alex sometimes. Morgan could hear him asking her mom for the millionth time to just call him Alex and her mom, like always, said she would before calling him Alexander again. Morgan suppressed a giggle and went to the dinner table.

Before long they were seated at a full table, stuffed to the brim with people and food. It was pleasant sitting there and listening to everybody talk. Rhodey was explaining some new parts of his job and difficulties working with the new younger people. Bruce made sure to remind him about his age often enough through the conversation. On the other end there was her mom trying to talk down Happy and his new security measures for the house. Morgan sat in the middle, drinking a glass of wine and feeling her heart heal from the holiday cheer in the room.

* * *

"You cheated, Stansberry. I saw you." Happy said from across the table eyeing the cards in Alex's hands.

"I did no such thing. You're just a crap black jack player."

A round of ohs followed his statement and Happy mumbled profanities under his breath. Morgan was watching the game and decided she would go see who needed help cleaning up in the kitchen. It was empty and she went over to begin washing them. About halfway through Rhodey came over to dry the dishes. The sounds of the game filtered in over the sink's water turning on and off. She finished up with the washing and turned her hip against the counter staring at the man she'd known her whole life.

"I'm sorry I haven't visited sooner. Work has been really busy lately and, jeez, I sound so annoying. It's not an excuse." She said. He paused a moment before finishing with the plate in his hand and setting it down.

"I get it, don't worry about your old uncle. This time of year's hard as you know. It's always good to see your mom and you."

"If you ever go anywhere else for the holidays I know mom will personally kidnap you. I may or may not help her, too."

He laughed and put his hands up.

"Don't I know it. Pepper already told me about the same thing earlier. I wouldn't leave you guys, don't worry Little Miss." She grasped his wrist, stifling the pressure in the back of her throat. "He would be so proud of everything you're doing. I read that article in the Atlantic about what you're doing. That's big stuff and I know Tony is watching the whole thing with that devilish smile he had."

Something warm settled over her hand and she grasped the fingers tight. Morgan pressed her hip further into the cabinet. All the sudden the walls of the kitchen were too small, too closed in.

"There's nothing I wouldn't do to get him back."

"I know, Morgan. Same with me."

His arms wrapped around her shoulder and Morgan hugged her uncle. She sniffled into the soft fabric of his t-shirt and felt bad she was most likely ruining it with her snot.

"I'm sorry." She pulled back and gave him a watery smile. His hands came up to brush her cheeks dry.

"Hey now. There's nothing to be sorry about. This time of years about crying as much as laughing."

His own eyes were wet and after another hug the two cleared their throats. Happy called in from the other room, waiting to begin the next round. He turned around to ask if she wanted to join but Morgan declined. Instead she finished wiping the counters, swiped a cookie off of the table, and went to go find her mom. The kitchen felt too big without Rhodey there with her.

"Mom?" She called from down the stairs but heard nothing. After the bathroom Morgan checked her mom's bedroom. The various pictures stood on the lining the tall dresser in the front of the room. There was the three of them when she was really young and the rest were of the two of them through different parts of her life. Looking at the photos Morgan realized where her mom was.

The door to her dad's office was open a crack, through which she could see her mom sitting on one of the chairs. Her hair cascaded down her back and not for the first time Morgan wished she had the same strawberry blonde locks.

"I'm hoping if you play this back… It's in celebration."

Morgan stiffened and leaned against the wall outside of the door. Her eyes stared down the hallway at the Christmas lights and away from the back of her mom's head. Why would she watch that today of all days?

After that first night of college she'd thrown the mask in one of her suitcases to be pushed to the back of her closet. Never in her five years there had she looked at it again. Her mom found it when they were moving her out of the last apartment. With a queer look on her face she insisted she take it home with her. Morgan was more than happy to let the speech fade into the recesses of her memory. Every time his words popped into her mind the same heat would overcome her. Anger coursed through her and Morgan would have to distract herself.

His voice was softer than she remembered. For someone who was facing uncertain death it would be reasonable to be grave, to shed any number of tears, but he was hopeful. Morgan knew her dad. He was always goofing around usually to make people feel better. He went out of his way to help if someone was hurting no matter how hard it was for him and this was no different.

"So, I found a private area to record a little greeting in case of an untimely death on my part. Not that death at any time is ever timely."

Morgan fisted her hand in the entrance of her mouth in hopes of blocking out her sob. Her back slid down the wall until she hit the floor. The tile was cool against her back but she didn't dare move. Her father continued to speak. This time he spoke directly to her mom. She swore her heart broke when she heard another, higher sound from the room.

Her mom's grief had always been so quiet, so dignified. It angered her when she was younger. She didn't understand at first that it was as difficult, if not more, for her mom. Morgan could hear the muffled thumps of something hitting a cushion. The cries tore into her and were so at odds with all the Christmas decorations she was sure her mom spent weeks planning.

Morgan tilted her head up, closing her eyes. She would give anything to see her father in the flesh one last time. To feel his strong arms lifting her up and letting her soar through the sky. She wished he could be upstairs playing cards at the table with their family. There wasn't anything she wouldn't do or give to see him again.

"Please, please, please." She whispered into her hand repeatedly trying to drown out the sounds coming from his office.

It was cruel her mom was alone for the Holiday. She shouldn't have to beg her own daughter to leave work and come home at Christmas time. Not for the first time did Morgan wish there was something she could do to give her mom happiness. To restore everything taken from her.

The whole of humanity got their individual worlds back. Families were reunited. Sons and daughters were brought back to their parents. People's lives started with universities and libraries full again. Weddings and birthdays seemed to happen every day. She couldn't keep track of the amount of baby announcements she had received.

Yet her mom was left with nothing. Pepper had no say in whether or not her family was whole. It was him or the world and he knew his choice. At times she wondered if there was really any choice given the circumstances.

"I love you 3000."

Morgan felt awkward listening in on his declaration of love, because for the first time she realized that her father wasn't just talking to her. He was speaking to her mom; to their love.

Her hands clasped together in front of her. Her fingers mashed together, white knuckles pressed tightly against her forehead in a desperate plea. She ignored the laughter coming from upstairs. She ignored her mom and the pain she could still hear from beyond the room.

Morgan closed her eyes. Her breath was hot on her hands and even though they ached she held them tighter and tighter hoping the pain would be some kind of payment for her wish. Never in the twenty-four years since they set flowers floating down the lake had she stopped hoping.

The hope that he would still walk through that door. The hope Pepper Potts's husband would be able to kiss her once more. And the hope that her dad would hug her again.

"Please…"

* * *

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	4. Depression

Hi everyone! Hope all is well.

* * *

The face in the mirror was a complete stranger. She noticed the way her eyes popped more and how her lip remained in a permanent pout. Thank goodness they hadn't gone all the way and she could still see the texture of her skin through the makeup. Her usual bare face was painted and sculpted to 'enhance her natural beauty' as Akyla said.

What she and anybody else looking at her couldn't see was the knot pulled taunt in her chest. The way it pressed against her ribs trying to break free. How the pressure was building so much it was getting hard to breath. Morgan turned away from the mirror and crossed her arms in front of her.

She stared at the dress hanging on the closet doors. The lace trimming was extenuated against the dark wood behind it and her eye caught the small pearls sown into the material. Each little bobble glinted in the light of the dressing room and she knew it would create an even bigger spectacle once she was in front of everyone. With a sigh she sat down and wrapped the robe around her body.

Morgan didn't feel like a bride. Her face didn't emit the happy glow everyone said it should. The planning had been horrible and, after a few weeks she gave up, letting her mom and Akyla take over. Most importantly, this didn't feel like the biggest day of her life. She hadn't seen the barn yet and didn't really know who was coming. Alex joked that it felt like it wasn't even their wedding anymore and although she laughed, Morgan felt the same.

Morgan looked back in the mirror and tried to rearrange an escaped hair.

"You look beautiful." She whirled around and jumped up when she spotted who it was.

"Peter!" She squealed and shot forward wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He held her tightly and she breathed in his unique scent. It was one she couldn't quite place besides holding a note of home. Peter was her best friend and longest confidant. He'd watched over her most of her childhood when her mom was gone with work and through the years their friendship grew stronger. She was there for his wedding and now he was here to do the same.

"I missed you." Her lips were muffled against his shirt but the tightening of his arms was answer enough. She pulled back and held him at arm's length to get a good look at him. It had been far too long since she'd seen him.

"Hello, Mr. Grey." She said with a teasing smirk. He ran his hand through his hair and she watched as his cheeks turned a dull red.

"It's not that bad. Is it?" Of course, Peter Parker, Spider-man, superhero to the world was worried about a few grey hairs. She laughed which caused him to become more flustered.

"I was kidding, Peter. It looks good actually. I couldn't have a better-looking Maid of honor"

They made their way over to the chairs and she listened while he updated her on his life. Samantha, his five-year-old and her goddaughter, was just starting kindergarten that year.

It seemed crazy that it was almost five years ago when she looked got the call and took a red-eye all the way back to New York. Her boss skeptically said she could have waited and work was more important, but Morgan knew she had to be there to support Peter and MJ. In fact, Peter never let her forget that she almost missed it but, in the end, she was there to hold his hand and keep him from fainting. That was a fact Morgan never let him forget. And MJ would forever mock that the two of them had to sit down feeling worn out and exhausted when MJ was the one doing all the actual work.

In the end the three of them crowded around the little bundle and smiled at the small tuft of hair peeking out from the yellow hospital hat. It was the first baby Morgan had held and she swore her heart expanded when the small hand rested on her chest. Ever since she'd made it her mission to spoil the hell out of her favorite kid in the world and earn the title of best aunt. It was good hearing about Sammy and her family. She missed them and not for the first time toyed with the idea of moving back to New York.

She played absentmindedly with the sleeve of her robe and didn't realize how silent it was until she felt a hand on her knee. Something stopped her from looking up and instead she focused on from Peter's hand. It encased her knee and she could feel the calluses through her tights. They were the hands that lifted her up for piggyback rides and, when her mom wasn't there, sent her flying across the city. They taught her how to ride a bike and later on rubbed her back when her heart was broken for the first time. They carried immeasurable strength. Of all Peter's powers she knew it was his ability to lend that strength, to share it with his loved ones that was the most special of all.

She laid her own hand on his and glanced up at his face, trying not to note the concern in his furrowed eyebrows.

They talked about her dad a handful of times throughout the years and only drunk when they were older. Peter used to tell her stories about her dad. Great tales of courage through which she felt closer to him. He lived on in Peter's stories and Morgan would forever be grateful for that. But she never liked the jealous feelings that rose within her as she got older. Why did he get to spend so much more time with her dad? Why did Peter know her dad's favorite song and not her? She knew the feelings weren't fair to Peter. It was hard enough talking about her dad in general that he didn't need to know about her petty feelings so she squashed them down.

It was impossible to not think about him and today she didn't want to.

* * *

It was a maudlin thought but to Peter she looked remarkably similar to when he saw her on the dock the day of the funeral. His friend's eyes held the same dullness as they had before. Her shoulders hunched over, making her body appear smaller than it was, and, like then, she played with the hem of her shirt. Morgan looked so different than her larger than life personality and Peter's fist clenched at the injustice of it.

Here was the happiest days of her life and she was being haunted by shadows. He remembered the nightmares she woke up from on the weekends he would watch her. Cries slipping into the night and an endless supply of tears. He would run to her room, careful not to trip on any of the toys, and would hold the girl in his arms until she passed out. How many times had he woken up in her room? How many times did they stay up late watching movies or making cookies because she was fearful of sleep?

The worst was the waiting. That first couple weeks after the funeral he didn't think that Morgan understood what happened or maybe she was in denial about everything. He basically lived at their house then and couldn't count how many times he found Morgan sitting by the front door looking out. Nothing would budge her from that little spot by the windows. When he asked, she looked at him like it was the stupidest question ever and said "I'm waiting for dad, Peter. What else would I be doing?"

He staggered back and fell to the stairs. Her head turned back around and they stayed quiet until it was dark. Finally, he tore her away from the door with the temptation of food but the next day she was back and soon they fell into the pattern of sitting on either side of the door.

Peter looked at his friend, his sister. Her dress hung behind her and he couldn't be happier for her. Alex, her soon-to-be-husband, was a good guy. Peter saw the report Happy sent out to the family and met Alex over the years. Marriage wasn't easy but with the right person by your side it was worth it. He smiled at the thought of his baby sitting getting married. It seemed like just yesterday she was screaming to him because the tooth fairy came and she thought they needed new security measures.

* * *

Morgan fumbled with the hem of her robe and glanced up from under her eyelashes noticing Peter's gaze on her. Feeling a blush come to her cheeks she got up and moved to the bag in the corner of the room, talking over her shoulder.

"I know this is asking a lot but will you watch it with me, Peter?" He sighed and her stomach dropped but she kept going, needing to convince him. "I need to see him. I want to have him with me today." She said simply. Her fingers fumbled with it but then she produced the red and gold mask from the bag. Morgan turned around and held it between her hands to show Peter. He flinched back but after a moment nodded slowly.

"I haven't seen it since that day, but of course I will. If that's what you want." His voice wavered but she noted the determined glint in his eyes. She ignored the guilty feeling and went to set it up.

She brushed the dust that hadn't come off in her bag and, pushing the makeup on the desk to the side, set it down in the small clear space. Her hand rested on the crown of the head before she pushed turned it on. Peter was sitting on the small couch and she went over to sit next to him. Their hands entwined and she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Thank you, Peter." He swallowed and kissed the top of her head.

In all honesty she wasn't sure why she wanted to watched it today of all days. There were months of planning and any one of those would have worked just as well. But that damn coil in her stomach plagued her at the thought. It was only now, seeing Peter sitting there and willing that she had the strength to watch it. She wanted her dad to see her on her wedding day.

The glow of the light casted shadows across the room and it was silent. They stopped breathing until it flickered to life and he was sitting there in front of them. Morgan willed her eyes to stay dry. Her back straightened unconsciously as his voice filled the room and Peter clung to her even tighter. For the first time since that day when she had been so young she heard her father's words with someone else beside her.

"I hope families are reunited."

She sniffled and hid her head in his shoulder. There was something wet seeping into her head and a pang of sympathy hit her. Here she was bringing up one of the most traumatic moments in her friend's life without a care. She grabbed his hand with all her strength knowing she wouldn't hurt him.

Tears dripped down their faces and mingled on their clasped hands, joining them in grief. There was a hole inside of her. It was there since he father left that day and continued to grow everyday she sat on the steps of her house and waited. She learned the hard way that no amount of work would fill it. Many times, she gave up family time to try and not feel and every time she failed. Her dad was gone and that hole in her in the shape of his heart would always be empty.

"I love you 3000."

He looked them in the eye as he spoke those words she'd said to him so long ago. Morgan felt a peculiar sense of nothing. The room went dim as the eyes in the mask went dark and she got up to walk to the window.

The sun was shining down, illuminating the flowers outside. She could see the bees and a few butterflies flying to a tune she couldn't hear. Strange though, Morgan couldn't feel the heat on her skin. Her hand came up and she looked at her newly manicured nails but felt nothing. There were dried tears on her face but she couldn't muster the same sadness she felt before. All that was there was the hole in her. The one that she'd grown up with.

Morgan thought that watching it would let him be with her with her on today. To know he was there beside her when she was walking down the aisle and he was there blessing her union with Alex. But instead of his presence filling the hole, she felt it more acutely. All her other senses numbed besides the one and her hand trembled on the windowsill. All she wanted was her dad to be with her on her wedding day.

Peter stood next to her.

"I miss him so much, Peter. Sometimes I don't know how I survived - how the world survived without him."

"We survived because of him." He whispered. "And he's here today. You can feel him in the sun or how everyone made it today despite being spread throughout the world. Even Happy came back from his honeymoon in time to make it."

"I used to be so angry. At first with him and then at the world but now it's just this numbness. I can think of it without any of the pain but in some weird sense I miss that the most. I wish I had the reminder but I can't feel it anymore."

"I miss him, too"

"Does it ever get easier?"

"Truthfully, no. I still miss my parents and Ben. That will never go away. But their lives, their souls live on in you and it's a hard burden to bear. There's no denying that, but I know he would be so proud of the woman you have become. I am."

A touch of warmth came back to her and she forced a smile on her face.

"I can't believe I convinced Alex to marry me"

They shared a smile and Peter pulled her into a hug. Another smaller burst of warmth flared in her and she thanked the world for her best friend. He may not always know what to say but he was always there when she needed him.

Akyla came in bursting in the room without knocking.

"What have you done to her, Peter? You're the Maid of honor are you not? And you're supposed to make sure the bride doesn't look bad. It's like your one job."

"I don't look that bad, do I?" She said but the two others ignored her. Peter was in the midst of protesting and Akyla was pushing him out of the way.

"You could never look bad but let me just fix this." It was hard to understand because a tub of something was between her lips but Morgan let herself be dragged to the torture seat as she called it and sat there like a good bride.

Her eyes flitted over to were Peter stood against the wall and mouthed a thank you to him. He nodded once before going back to staring at the floor. She tried to concentrate on what Akyla was saying. Her friend was a talker and times like these that came in handy.

Her eyes wandered back to Peter and she saw that he moved across the room to the second pile of makeup, which was pushed to the side. He stood in front of the place where she knew the helmet rested. His back was toward her and Morgan wished she could see his face. What she wouldn't give to know what he was thinking. His back muscles clenched and he bowed his head even lower.

She thought if anyone understood, Peter would. Her friend lost so many people over his life and risked his own even more. It used to scare her. It still did. She remembered her mom and her watching Spider-man on the news. Her knees jammed into her mom's legs as she practically laid on her lap. The newsman recounted the superhero's great feats with clapping from the background. Back at home the two ladies watching were not clapping. Her mom's hand rubbed down her back as they worried.

Her friend spoke and Morgan looked back at Peter.

"All set. You're ready now." Akyla smiled and gently caressed her cheek. "I'll go get the other bridesmaids ready." She nodded and exited the room after hugging the bride.

Peter cleared his throat and came back around.

"Are you ready?" He handed her a tissue and she dabbed her eyes while nodding. "I'll be there the whole time, Morgan. Waiting for you to give me that bouquet of flowers."

She laughed at the image of Peter, the Maid of honor walking down the aisle with her other bridesmaids. They stood before the door waiting. He wound his arms around her and she leaned into him again. Together they walked to the back of the barn.

Her mom had wanted the wedding to be at one of the premier venders in New York but Morgan refused. Instead they were having it at her home. Her mom and Akyla handled everything with care and ridiculously good expertise. The barn was magnificent. There was a soft glow to the room from hanging lights on the ceiling. The bows of light were decorated with hanging flowers. There pews lining the hall with more flowers. Anywhere she looked some sort of flower was there. The scent hung in the air creating a fantasy like image.

Peter gave her one last tight hug whispering that he loved her before he took his place at the front of the line. Then after him the other bridesmaids and groomsmen took their turn walking to the front of the barn.

Rhodey and Happy came up beside her and she gave them her arm. Rhodey's eyes glistened as he looked at her and even Happy couldn't keep the scowl on his face. The two men guided her to the back of the line. Looking past all the pews, all the people gathered to celebrate their day, she saw Alex waiting. For a moment she staggered. Happy and Rhodey looked down at her but she relayed nothing.

They had been there for her throughout her life. Guarded and looked after her. Supported her. Loved her. But for this moment she let herself be selfish. She felt the whole keenly and just wanted her dad to be there with her. She wanted his sparkling eyes and bad jokes. She needed his arm to be around hers and his strength to carry her down the aisle.

Morgan stopped the procession and stared around. She saw her mom leaning in the whisper something to MJ and Peter stood at the front of the room surrounded by girls in their bridesmaids' dress. She could just make out Alex and saw the way he was straightening his tie for what was probably the hundredth time that day. Then Morgan felt the hands of her dearest Uncles and realized that maybe in some small way her dad was there. Not in the capacity she wanted or needed, but for a moment Morgan swore she smelled his curious scent of oil and pine.

Her breath hitched and Happy produced a handkerchief. He bickered with Rhodey for a moment, saying they should call the whole thing off while Rhodey was slightly more optimistic.

"I'm fine." She said. "We are not canceling the wedding. I'm not going through all that planning again."

The two men shuddered but agreed. There were pricks in the corner of her eyes and she looked upward at the heavenly clouds of flowers. Rhodey and Happy were silent but hugged her closer. With a deep breath she painted a smile on her face, ignored the scratchiness in the back of her throat, and proceeded down the aisle. To her future.

* * *

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	5. Acceptance

"Are you sure, sweetheart? There will be time later." Alex's voice wove through the ribbons of pain tying her to the bed.

Fourteen hours later and it was over. She did a marvelous job and everything went according the plan, the doctors assured them. Morgan could hardly remember anything from those hours. The pain was warded off, misty and faint in her mind now that it was over. Every time she tried to grasp on to it, it would slip away, gone from the moment she glimpsed the bright red skin. Beautiful even under all the residue and goo. The results of those hours of work was far beyond any expectation. In her husband's arms wrapped tight in a blanket with giraffes on it slept a miracle.

Their baby.

A weighted feeling clung to her limbs, making it difficult to reach out and pull the blanket back ever so slightly. Pale brown hair peaked out and though her hand shook, she smiled.

Another nurse came in and insisted on tests – both for mother and baby. Morgan's heart stuttered when the yellow bundle was taken away.

It was time.

"Yes, I want to do this." He sighed. The scrubs he wore crinkled as he moved around the room. As with all things in his life Alex was ready to head to the front ground which this time was right next to the doctor. At first, she had felt like a science experiment, listening to him ask questions about the labor, about her. It wasn't until his hand curled around her ankle, shaking ever so slightly, that she realized he was nervous as well and she remembered his own mother had died in giving birth to his younger sister.

Watching him look down at their child she felt ridiculously proud of how far they'd come.

"You look ridiculous dear." She smiled sleepily, admiring the way the scrubs were showed his butt off in just the right way as he leaned over the bag.

"And you look as gorgeous as the day I spied you across the library."

"Stop it. I had been there for twenty-two hours at that point and would have scared any children in the radius."

The bed dipped to her side and when he smiled the dimples on his left cheek stood out. His hand moved and he took her fingers in his, squeezing firmly. She couldn't close her fingers but held on as hard as her strength would allow.

"I remember the sun streaming down from the windows highlighting those glorious dark circles you get when you have no sleep. There were a line of students standing there, staring at your radiance but you paid them no mind and only focused on the book in front of you. When I finally got up the courage to buy you a coffee and set it down on the table. You took one sip and without looking up asked for straight black before going back to work. I think the smile you gave me when I set the second coffee down was when I fell in love with you for the first time."

A smile came over her face, remembering the way she assumed he would leave and not bother her again. The second time the cup arrived along with a blueberry scone and he sat across from her. They didn't talk, finals were coming up, but for the rest of the week he somehow found her in the library. A coffee and scone ready for her.

"You're so dramatic." She said and shut her eyes concentrating on the finger rubbing against her knuckles. Without opening them she said, "Let me see him."

He shifted beside her and pressed his lips against her forehead. She knew it was sweaty and her hair was pasted against her face, but his hands still caressed her hair as their foreheads rested against each other.

"I'm so proud of you, my love." He said before moving.

A shrill wail come from the hallway and her head whipped toward the direction it came from. Her eyes opened wide, heart pounding as different scenarios, each impossibly worse than the next raced through her mind.

Alex stepped back in, the yellow blanket and bundle safely in his arms. Her pulse calmed on the sight. Her two loves came toward her and everything was right again. The nurses hovered in the hallway and she thanked them silently for the space. Alex moved closer and resumed his early spot next to her.

With careful choreography he lifted his arms forward to place their child in her own. The fabric was soft against her skin and the smell of soap washed out the hospital scent. Morgan stared down at the tiny, pink face and the world changed for a moment.

The sun beaming into their little room from the window warmed. Her back which ached only a second ago moved the ease it hadn't since her teenage years and she knew she would carry this weight in her arms for eternity.

Alex rubbed his thumb along her elbow. Tears filled her eyes blurring their child from view for a moment.

"Can we play it. Please?"

Alex moved across the room again. Her finger trailed down his cheek, mapping out the nonexistent eyebrows and over the rim of his hat. She took in every detail. How his eyes scrunched shut, his quick breaths against her hand, and how before this she was convinced babies looked like tiny trolls only to be proven wrong be the being in front of her.

"How's mommy and child doing?"

"Mom! I'm doing fine… now." Pepper laughed and filed into the room. She kissed her daughter on the cheek and touched the cheek of her grandson with a soft smile.

"He's beautiful, Morguna."

"Thanks Mom."

There was a moment of silence. Alex stood next to her but she knew their eyes were all on the child.

More people filed into the room. Rhodey came in and kissed them both, ribbing Alex that he should be thankful the baby took after her. Happy stayed away but cracked a smile at the new mother and son. Peter and MJ arrived, breath short with Toni dragged behind them.

Her whole family was there.

Alex set up the table and placed the helmet on top. It was her first time seeing the red and gold metal in years and a small lump formed in her throat.

This is what she requested. This is what she wanted she told herself.

Everyone faced the wall and the laughter present before faded. Alex thanked everyone for coming and looked at her for confirmation. With a nod the familiar glow filled the room.

Morgan lowered her head to rest above her sons, whispering in the softest voice she could muster.

"Hello little one. I want you to meet your family. These are the people that made you possible. These are the people who make this world amazing and I want you to meet your Grandpa."

She gripped Alex's wrist and listened.

"God, what a world. "

Her dad was right she could see all these years later. What a world it was. Their child was theirs, hers and Alex's, but larger than that he was their family's. He was possible because of Alex's unbreakable love and foot rubs. He was all the spa days and candy her and Pepper snuck when Happy wasn't looking. He was possible because of the healthy diet Happy insisted on during her pregnancy. He was Rhodey's softly whispered stories he told to her swollen stomach. He was songs and videos Peter made for when her baby was older.

Yes, this child wasn't just hers. It was the worlds and the result of so much love from so many different people.

This child was also Anthony Edward Stark's. Here now tucked safely between his parents and a team of world class superheroes because of the sacrifice, the love, and the protection her father gave freely.

She pressed a kiss against the smooth forehead and smiled against his skin.

"I love you 3000."

Father and daughter whispered in unison to the small child in her arms.

* * *

Hi all! Hope you are all doing well and staying safe and healthy. Here is the last chapter. Hope you enjoy!

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